


It Started Out With A Kiss

by The Gray Ghost (The_Gray_Ghost)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: "Will" is not the same Will, Alcohol, Drunken Kissing, Kissing, M/M, Merlin is a writer, NO rape, Non-Consensual Kissing, Pining Arthur, Prince Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Merlin, Rough Kissing, Writer's Block, because I'm a sucker for plot symmetry, because im a softie for writer fics, drunk, it's his editor that happens to have the same last name, london is confusing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27462181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Gray_Ghost/pseuds/The%20Gray%20Ghost
Summary: The last thing Merlin expects when he goes out for drinks is to see Arthur standing in front of him, centuries after he died.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	It Started Out With A Kiss

Merlin tried to refuse, honestly he had. But Will had insisted that he needed to get out, and Merlin had to admit he was getting tired of only seeing the same four walls. He was stuck, and writer's block had practically immobilized him. Which was how he ended up in the smallest, most jam-packed bar in London. 

Will was fun, and Merlin really loved his editor, but he was also a _painfully_ obnoxious drunk. As the clock slowly snuck up on the back end of twelve AM, Merlin finally decided he could rationalize leaving. Will was wasted, and after trying to pick a fight with a VERY large man, who could likely take him apart one-handed, it was time for them both to leave. As Merlin stepped between Will and the other man to apologize, he froze. It was Arthur.

_But it couldn’t possibly be Arthur…_

Merlin had mistaken other people for his best friend before, but it was never him. This was just one of those times. 

_I must have had too much to drink,_ Merlin rationalized to himself. But even with the logical answer in front of him, he couldn’t help but admit that this one looked so, somuch like Arthur that it was honestly uncanny. 

_He has the same sharp jawline, the same sun-bleached hair, the same muscular body, from years of training.._

_No._ Merlin snapped at himself. _I’m not going down this path again, just for some-_

His train of thought was completely cut off when the man stood up, and _oh god he’s just the right height._

The man reached out a limp hand, grabbing at Merlin’s arm. Before he could move, he was pulled into the man who was **not** Arthur’s arms, and suddenly there were hot lips against his. 

Merlin felt himself relax for a fraction of a second, his eyes fluttering closed before he came to his senses. He shoved the man off him and glared. The other man laughed mockingly, and spoke in a drunken slur, “Aww, you don’ wanna kiss?” 

Merlin scoffed and turned away from him, grabbing Will’s arm. Will looked confusedly between his friend and the man he had tried to fight. Everything had happened so fast, and Will was so drunk, that he hadn’t fully registered what happened. He was quiet as Merlin dragged him through the crowd and over to the coat rack. Meekly accepting his coat from a remarkably pissed Merlin, Will finally asked, “Do you know him?”

“No, I do not,” Merlin spit through gritted teeth. “Let’s go.”

Will didn’t protest as Merlin pulled him outside by his sleeve, letting Merlin hail a taxi. He started to feel dizzy in the biting February night, and struggled to shove his arms into his jacket. Merlin turned to him as a taxi sped up to them and exhaled sharply. 

“Are you honestly-” he started, but gave up before he got any further. He was exhausted, and the quicker he got Will in the cab, the quicker he could start walking home. Will looked at him helplessly as Merlin helped him into his jacket. 

“You take this one,” he told Will. “Drink some water when you get home, idiot.” He managed to smile a bit as he said it, but Will just stared at him soulfully. 

_He’s gonna fall asleep in the cab…_

Merlin sighed and leaned into the cab as Will settled, immediately deciding the taxi was too hot for the coat he had just finished putting on. After giving the cabbie the address, Merlin patted Will’s shoulder and slammed the door. He watched the car speed back onto the road and wondered if he should have paid the fare as well. There was a chance Will might have left his wallet in the bar. It’d happened before. 

He shrugged to himself, hugging his arms in closer as a bitter breeze swept up from the alley. He was in for a chilly walk home. 

Late that night, at home and cleaned up, Merlin lay in his flat tossing and turning. He couldn’t get the image of the man from the bar out of his mind. It had looked so much like him…. 

Merlin decided that he would go back the next weekend and see if the man was there. If so, Merlin could talk to him and convince himself it wasn’t Arthur. He finally fell into a fitful sleep, his half-baked plan still stirring around his mind.


End file.
